Note: Okay so I decided to post somewhat sooner, it seemed to short to leave it at that. SO the next one will be up soon.

Forty five minutes later Dean brought the impala to a screaming stop right at the entrance to the bunker, headlights shining on the door. Sam dared to glance at his brother, confusion winning out over anger. After such a mad rush to get here, breaking almost every speed limit and road rule that existed, Dean was now frozen in his seat, just staring at the door.

"Dean, what's going on?" Sam whispered, adjusting himself to sit back in the seat, staring at the open door to the bunker.

"I- I don't know." Dean whispered back.

Then he was gone, slipping out of the impala and striding toward the door. Sam rolled his eyes, wishing Dean would just tell him already, then scrambled to get out of the car and follow. Dean had left the door wide open and Sam pulled it shut behind him, taking the steps two at a time until he reached the bottom and-

And then understanding dawned, followed by shock and confusion, and disbelief. It was Castiel, standing in the middle of the room, eyes trained intensely on Dean.

Dean was standing stock still, breathing heavily, only metres away from the angel. Whether his short breath was from the exertion of running or purely emotion, he didn't know. He didn't really care as he stared into those oh-so-familiar blue eyes. Neither of them spoke at first, eyes locked on each other as if they were the only two people in the universe.

"Cas... How are you here?" Dean's voice broke on the words, and he stopped, trying to push back the tears. That coil of emotion was pressing, ready to explode at the drop of a pin.

"Dean-" His name slipped from Castiel's lips like a fervent prayer, raw and needy, and it broke him.

All that emotion that he was bottling up came to a head, then exploded and all thought left his mind. His body moved of it's own accord, two long strides closing the distance between the two, and the next thing he knew his lips were on Castiel's, and it was terrifying and sweet and everything he could never have imagined and oh, god so much more.

Castiel was shocked into stillness for but a moment; then a soft moan parted his lips, his eyes dropped closed, and his body melded with Dean's, arms wrapping around his shoulders to pull him in. Dean felt a sharp pain in his chest as though his heart physically flipped, and suddenly it was like their bond was tangible, a strong golden rope wrapping around their souls...

Tears ran freely now from Dean's closed eyes, his hands moving to catch Cas' face between his palms, drawing him closer than was possible. He needed Cas in this moment with everything that he was. This was unbidden, untamed, desperate and he couldn't control his movements as the kisses grew deeper, more urgent, trying to make Cas feel everything that he had gone through in the time he had been gone. Tears formed and dripped from Castiel's closed eyes as he felt the pain of the hunter, matching his desperation, pulling him closer than possible, promising in his thoughts to never let him go again-

Then Sam coughed in the background, and everything shattered.

Dean jumped back from Cas as though he'd been burned, his eyes wide open, confused and terrified and disbelieving. His hand shook as it covered his mouth, a look in his eyes that screamed what the fuck did we just do?

"Dean-" Castiel took a step forward, pain flashing through his eyes as Dean pulled away.

And then he was gone, leaving Castiel feeling broken and more empty than he had ever felt before as he heard Dean's door slam shut and a lock click into place.

"What the hell..." Sam muttered.

Castiel lifted his eyes to meet Sam's dumbfounded expression, his eyes flicking between Castiel and the direction of Dean's room.

"I'm sorry." Castiel whispered, dropping his eyes to the floor. "I don't... understand."

"No Cas, it's.." Sam's expression cleared, and he gave the angel a faint smile. "It's okay. It's good to see you. But... How?"

"I don't know." Cas muttered, dropping into a seat.

He raised his hand to brush away the tears that had gathered on his cheeks. He felt exhausted, after the trip to the bunker, and then Dean... He had to fix this. He started to stand, but Sam put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him down, shaking his head.

"Give it time, Cas."

He looked at Sam in surprise. "You're... Not angry?"

"Angry?!" Sam choked on a laugh. "Why would I be angry? Cas, you're back, and I don't know how but... It doesn't matter. This is amazing."

Castiel just continued to stare at Sam in confusion, tilting his head slightly the way only he could do.

"Oh." Sam dropped his eyes. "You mean about.. That?" He used a hand to indicate between Cas and the direction of Dean's room.

"Yes, that." Castiel answered, an almost physical pain lancing through him as he glanced in that direction.

"Nah, man." Sam answered with a half smile. "I'm pretty sure you two are the only ones who couldn't see it coming."

"Oh." Castiel's eyebrows drew together slightly as he stared at his hands, open and resting on his knees. "These... emotions... Are confusing."

"Tell me about it. Didn't see that second part coming, though." Sam replied, half sarcastically. When he saw the look on the Angel's face, though, he sighed in sympathy. "Okay. Let me grab a few beers and then, I think we'd better have a talk."

Cas just nodded and kept staring at his hands as Sam turned and headed toward the kitchen.

"Oh and Cas?" Sam stopped, turning back to see Castiel lift his head and look at him. "It's really great to have you back."

"Thankyou, Sam." Cas smiled dimly as the hunter walked away.

'How did things get this bad' Cas thought to himself in the silence. He felt broken and rejected, like he had found his soul and had it ripped away a moment later. He knew one thing - no matter what happened, things would never be the same.